The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC) in Nigeria, Bolaji Owasanoye has said that corruption remains a huge obstacle to development and destroyer of ethical values in the country.
Mr. Owasanoye made this known on Monday, 2nd April 2022 while speaking as the Guest Speaker at the ‘Annual Making a Difference Leadership Seminar’ of the Harvest Fields International held in Lagos State.
The ICPC chairman, who opined that corruption undermines infrastructural development due to suspicious procurement processes, said, “Corruption is the greatest obstacle to development and an existential threat to unity. It affects everyone and everything negatively and gravely.
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“In the minimum, corruption destroys ethical and moral values; compromises the security, justice and rule of law; deprives citizens of economic, social and constitutional rights; breeds distrust, mistrust, unemployment, violence;
“Breeds poverty as it diverts resources from poverty reduction projects; hinders effective resource allocation and deployment, and fuels ethnic distrust and conflicts due to unjust resource allocation.”
Speaking further on the occasion, Mr Owasanoye identified the recovery of assets from corrupt persons as a key measure of fighting against corruption.
“Asset recovery from corrupt persons has become necessary to deny them the use of whatever they had stolen from the public coffers. Our efforts are geared towards the recovery of identified stolen assets and resources that will be used for the development of the country.
“Millions of Nigerians suffering denial of basic social services and lack of infrastructures such as hospitals, schools, water and employment will receive succour when stolen assets are recovered from looters.”
The ICPC boss cited some scriptural passages in his recommendations to the seminar participants on how to make a difference in leadership while avoiding corrupt tendencies.
The recommendations, according to him, include: reducing expectations of reward or gratitude (Luke 17:10); having options and reminding oneself that he or she is not the only person who can do it (1 Kings 19:10); and focusing on basic needs not the vanities of life (1 Tim 6:8).
He also recommended ignoring praise singers who exaggerate someone’s importance to the system (John 6: 25-26), forgoing a privilege or entitlement when in doubt about it (1 Cor. 6:12), conceding benefits to others and focusing on the welfare concerns of subordinates (Matt. 5:40), shouldn’t be ambiguous about integrity issues (Proverbs 11:3), and be ready to speak truth to power and to walk your talk.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the host and Senior Pastor of City Harvest Church, Abraham Akinola, stated that the 2022 Leadership Seminar was aimed at creating a better society and providing redemption for the country.
He therefore called on the general public on the need to emulate the life and attitude of Christ to preserve the nation.
Pastor Akinola said “It has been a long journey. This is the 16th Edition and is creating a better society. We shouldn’t be overwhelmed by our numerous challenges. We have Nigerians who have faced the challenges of our society and our guest speaker is one of them.
“We need to exert the influence of Christ more in our life and attitude to enable us to preserve our nation. We, particularly, need the character of Christ in our life, choice of words, dress code and attitude, in order to influence a change in our society.”
Corruption has unarguably eaten deep into our collective bone marrow in Nigeria as a people, that, it requires only severe and candid measures to ensure its holistic eradication within the shores of the country.
The concerned law enforcement agencies in the country, such as the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), may have a genuine intention to tackle the societal menace and cankerworm, but the truth remains that corruption is really fighting back.
This is the reason these agencies must take the bull by the horn in ensuring the bad eggs in their midst militating their lawful efforts are thoroughly fished out and equally brought to book.
To truly end corruption in our land, we must at all times be wiser and smarter than the devil at all cost.